Civilian board to finally tour troubled St. Louis jail
ST. LOUIS — A civilian board created to help oversee the troubled St. Louis City Justice Center will get its first tour of the facility today. This comes after a long wait for members to tour the jail.
The Detention Facilities Oversight Board has existed for 18 months. Until today, members have not been able to get into the city jail because authorities say they lacked the proper training.
The Justice Center has been the scene of multiple problems and controversies.
Among the issues, a situation last August when a 73-year-old guard was taken hostage for a time by inmates at the jail. The guard was eventually freed and not seriously hurt.
That situation came just two days after the death of Carlton Bernard, who was a detainee at the jail. In fact, at least nine inmates have died at the City Justice Center in the last two years.
There have been complaints about conditions inside the facility and calls for the Corrections Commissioner, Jennifer Clemons-Abdullah, to be fired. And just last month, the Missouri State Auditor launched an investigation into the Justice Center citing multiple concerns.
Earlier this month, the St. Louis Board of Aldermen approved training to allow members of the civilian oversight board to get into the justice center. The legislation for that training also allows the oversight board to hire independent legal counsel when necessary.
Reverend Darryl Gray, the chair of the oversight board, says members will go into the facility at 2 p.m. Tuesday for a 50-minute site visit. Gray tell FOX 2 that his group originally asked for a two-hour site visit but was only granted 50 minutes.
We’re told members will meet with detainees, correctional officers and administrative staff. Gray says that after the visit, the board will meet with the media to discuss their findings.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
